Coin-controlled vending-machine.



F. A. BOWBRS. COIN CONTROLLED VENDING MACHINE. APPLIOATION FILED DEO.10, 1912.

1 072,905. Patented Sept. 9, 1913.

FIE/.21-

WIT/\IE'EEEE- INVENTEIR- M Frank JZBower-s.

nnrrn n snares arana enrich FRANK A. BUWEES, 91* NEW LQRI'IAIN, CONNECTICUT, ASEEIGNOB. TS: AUTQSALES GUM AND CHOCOLATE COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y, A CORPORATION 91 NEW YORK.

COIN-CONTROLLED VENDING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patent-ed Sept. a, r913.

Application filed December 10, 1912. Serial Ho. 735,986.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK A. Bowers, a citizen of the United Stateaand a resident of New Britain, Connecticut, have invented certain new, and useful Improvements in Coin-Controlled Vending-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention is an improvementover certain features of invention set forth in the application of Albert D. Grover, Serial No. 720,338, filed Sept. 14, 1912.

The object of my invention is to provide the coin-operated mechanism shown in said Grover application with means for actuating the ejecting shaft into final position independently of the deposited coin in the event that the hand-operated coin-carrier was during the previous operation of the machine not actuated suiliciently to' complete the movement of the ejecting shaft. It was found that with the centering means provided for the ejecting shaft it was possible to move the shaft in such a position that the centering means was at dead center. The result of this was that during the next operation of the machine, the deposited coin would not connect with the ejecting shaft, whereby the machine remained out of commission until the ejecting shaft was moved out of dead center position. present invention obviates this dithculty by means of a device which automatically con nects the hand-operated coin-carrier with the ejecting shaft independently of the coin.

In other words, if in a machine provided with my invention, the handle or knob on the outside is'operated just so much as to leave the ejecting shaft at dead center,- the next operation of theknob or handles-utomatically causes the shaft to complete'its ejecting moven1ent, without the interposition of-a coin. This places the coin-receiving portions of the ejecting shaft in proper position to cotiperate with the coin-carrier.

In the particular embodiment of my invention illustrated in. the drawings, the automatic device for moving the ejecting shaft out of dead center consists of a latch pivoted on the co-imcanrier and arranged to shaft, when the latter is in normal position.

Tlowever, whenv the ejecting shaftis allowed to remain at dead ce'lter. the latch is in a position to engage one of the arms and thereby move the shaft into proper positron when the coin-carrier is again operated. In the broad aspect of my invention this automatic device may he variously arranged to accomplish the same purpose.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1, shows a longitudinal view in section on line 1-1 of Fig. 2, of a machine embodying my invention, only so much of the machine being shown as is necessary to an understanding of my invention. Fig. 2, is a section on line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3, is a plan view in section on line 33 of Fig. 2-. Fig.4 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the operatmg lever pulled down to a point where the ejecting shaft remains at dead center; and Fig. 5 is view similar to Fig. at showing the operating lever and the connected coincarrier partly restored to normal position.

In the sides of the casing 1 is jonrnaled the shaft 2 which is at one end provided with the handle or lever 3 for manually operating the shaft. If desired, a wheel or knob may be substituted for the lever. On the shaft 2 is rotatably mounted a sleeve or hollow shaft 4 provided with one or more ejecting fingers 5 adapted to eject the lowermost packages from the magazines. Any suitable ejecting means may be provided on the shaft 4 and I havenottherefore deemed it necessary to show in detail any specific form of such m'eanaother than showing the ejecting. finger 5' which is arranged to eject the packages 6 from the magazine 7 upon pro er actuation of the shaft 4:- One end of t e shaft 4: is provided with a squared head 8 which is engaged by the.

free end of the spring 9 secured to the casing by bolts or rivets 10. in the particular 'enihodiinent illustrated, the head 8 is shown as having four sides. This is on the supposition t-hat the machine illustrated, has four magazines and four ejecting fingers 5. If the numberof ejecting. fingers is varied, the number of sides on the head 8 is varied accordingly. The head 8 and spring 9 form the center means for the shafts and normally hold the same in the position shown in Fig. 2. To the head 8 is secured a metal spider 11 provided with arms 12. These arms correspond in number and position to the sides of the block or centering head 8. Each of the arms 12 is provided with a' horizontal extension. 13 having a slot 14.

When the shaft 4 is in normal position one of the slots 14 is in alinement with the coinnot in andof itself constitute a part of my invention. The coin-carrier 16' is provided with a rigid pin 17 which is adapted. to en-' gage the coin at or near the center thereof, and hold the same in operative position on the carrier. The latter is provided with an arcuate extension 18 adapted to support the deposited coin when the-coin-carrier is out of normal position. A contractile spring 19 is at one end connected with the coin-carrier at 20 and at theother end to a suitable point 20 on the machine casing, and holds the coin-carrier in the position shown in Fig. 2.

When a proper coin is deposited, it falls on the coin-carrier 16, with its upper end engaging in the slot 14 of the alined extension 13. The lower edge of the coin rests in the groove or recess 1790f the coin-carrier. It isclear from Fig. 1 that when the handle 3 is pulled forwardly the pin 17 braces the deposited coin C in position to form a rigid connection between the coincar'rier and theejecting shaft 4. During this ejecting movement of. the shaft 4, the block 8' pushes the spring 9 upwardly and thereby places the same under tension. As

soon as the shaft 4. has passed beyond the position shown in Fig. 4, the spring 9 completes the ejectingmovement of the shaft and 'forces the latter in the position shown in Fig. 2. Suitable stops are provided to limit the arc of movement of the handle. 3. As soon as the handle is released the spring 19 pulls the coin-carrier back into normalposition. During the return movement of the coin-carrier the previously deposited coin either falls into the cash box beneath or it may be temporarily retained by the slot 14. In the latter eventthe coin will dropby gravity out of this slot during the next operation of the machine, when the arm 12 is moved from horizontal down to a ver- 1 it tical position.

At the lower or rear end of the arcuate extension 18- is pivoted the latch. 21by means of the pin 22. When the coin-carrier and the shaft 4 are in normal position, the

. latch 21 is held outwardly by one of the coin-receiving arms 12 of the spider 11. In this, its inoperative position, the latch 21 has no efi'ect'whatever upon the operation of the coin carrier or the shaft 4. However, when the shaft 4 is left at dead center, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the latch 21 is released by the arms 12 when the coin-carrier returns to normal position. When the latch 21 is thus released, the spring 19 forces the same inwardly, so that the free end 23 of the latch 21 engages the adjacentarm 12 when the operating handle 3 is again pulled forwardly. In this way. the shaft 4 is moved out of dead center to complete the ejecting.

movement which was started during .t-he previous operation of the machine. The

inward movement of the latch 21 is limited his coin. Of course, no coin need becleposited to operate the machine after the preceding purchaser has left the shaft 4 at dead center, but the position of the shaft 4 is never indicated to the purchaser, because the handle 3 always fiiesback to normal position when released. I

While I have herein shown one specific application of my invention. it is obvious that the basic idea of my invention as defined in the appended claimsmay be mechanically carried out in other waysthan shown.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent isz' 1.- In a coin-controlled vending machine, a hand-operatedmember, a second member normally disconnected from said first memher, but adapted to be operatively connected therewith through the medium of the deposited coin, centering means for said second latch 21, so that the purchaser does not lose member to complete the final movement 2. In a' coin-controlled vending machine,

a hand-operated member, asecond member normally disconnected'from said first memher, but adapted to be operatively connected therewith through the medium of the de posited coin, centering means for said second member to complete the final movement thereof at each operation of the machine, and a pivoted latch carriedby said band savanna operated member to actuate said second member into final position in the event that during the previous operation of the machlne, said centering means was left in an inoperative position by the incomplete movement ot'said hand-operated member, said latch having no effect on the movement of said second member, as long as said center ing means operates said second member into final position.

3. In a coin-controlled vending machine, a-handbperated member, a second member normally disconnected from said first memher but adapted to be operatively connected therewith through the medium of the deposited coin, and a device adapted to automatically connect said hand-operated member with said second member for completing the movement of the latter in the event that during the previous operation of the machine said hand-operated member was not actuated suiiiciently to cause complete movement of said second member, said device having no effect on the movements of said second member as long as the latter is actuated into final position.

4, In a coin-controlled vending machine, a hand-operated member, a second member normally disconnected from said first memher but adapted to be operatively connected therewith through the medium of the deposited coin, and a pivoted latch carried by said hand-operated member to automatically connect the same with said second member for completing the movement of the latter in the event that during the previous operation. of the machine said handoperated member was not actuated sufficiently to cause complete movement of said second member, said. latch having no efi'ec ton the movements of said second nember as long as the latter is actuated into final position.

5.-In acoin-controlled vending machine, a pair of normally disconnected members adapted to be connected together through the medium of the deposited coin, and means for operatively connecting said. members independently of the coin when the previous operation of said members was incomplete, said connecting means remaining inoperative as long as said members receive full actuationi 6Q In a coin-controlled vending machine, a pair of normally disconnected members adapted to be connected together through the medium of the deposited coin, and a pivoted latch carried by one of said members for operatively connecting the same independently of the coin when the previous operation of said members was incomplete, said latch remaining inoperative as long as the members receive full actuation.

7. In a coin-controlled vending machine, a hand-operated member, a second member adapted to be actuated by said first member through the medium of the depos ted coin, radial arms on said second member and means on said hand-operated member adaptedto operatively engage one of said arms and thereby connect the two members together when said second member comes to rest out of normal position, said connecting means assuming an inoperative position toward said arms when said second member is in normal position.

' 8. In a coin-controlled vending machine, a hand-operated member, a second member adapted to be actuated by said first member through the medium of the deposited coin,

radial arms on said second member, and a pivoted spring-pressed latch on said handopera'ted member adapted to operatively engage one of said arms and thereby connect the two members when said second member comes to rest out of normal position, said latch assuming an inoperative position toward said arms when said second member is in normal position.

9. In a coinscontrolled vending machine,

a rotary member, a hand-operated memberadanted to actuate said rotary member a predetermined amount through the medium of the deposited coin, and normally inoperat-ive means automatically set into operation to connect said members when said rotary member does not receive its predetermined amount of movement.

10. In a coin-controlled vending machine, a rotary member having slotted radial arms, a hand-operated member adapted to receive the deposited coin which rests at the top in the slotof one of said arms. whereby said members become operatively connected through the coin. and the pivoted latch carried by said hand-operated member and so arranged that When said rotary member is in normal position the latch is held back in an inoperative position by one of said arms, but when said rotary member is out of normal position the latch automatically moves into position to engage one of said arms and actuate said rotary member into normal position during the-nextoperation of said hand-operated member.

11. In a coin-controlled vending machine, a rotary member, a hand-operated member adapted to actuate said rotary member a predetermined amount through the medium ofthe deposited coin, and a normally inoperative latch carried by said hand-operated member and arranged to be automatir cally moved into operative position to con nect said members when said rotary member does not receive its predetermined amount of movement.-

12. In a coin-controlled vending machine, a-rotary operating member, a rotary coincarrier adapted to actuate said operating member through the medium of the deposited coin and a normally inoperative latch ited coin, and meanswhereby an' incomon said' coin-carrier adapted to be moved plete operation of said member eauses the automatically into posit-ion to engage said t sametobe actuated without a e'oin during operating member when the latter does not 3 the next operation of said mechanism.

5 receive its predetermined amount of move- 3 In witness whereof, I'hereunto subscribe 15 H. E. ENvEsT, W. L. CAFFERTY.

. for actuating the same apredetermined 10 amount through the.n1ecl1um of the deposnient'; my name this 25th ciayoi November 1912. 13. In a coin-controlled vending machine, FRANK A. BOVER. a rotary member, hand-operated mechanism Witnesses: 

